HULRAT ONESHOTS (Virat-Rahul stories)

Virat's natural and in-built charm

Rahul was absolutely dreading the day KXIP would travel to Bangalore for the away match against RCB.

Normally it used to be cool every year. His parents would treat him like a king when he went to stay at home in between the IPL.

Not this time.

His dad was absolutely furious at the KwK fiasco. He had run down every single of his friends down to the dust in the last few weeks.

Hardik, especially. Well, he was already so furious at Hardik that he hadn't resented it much.

But his dad also seemed to think Virat had influenced him in some day. Well, how was that possible? Virat hadn't even gone there with him. And though to the world Virat was hot-tempered and abusive because of his aggression on the field, Rahul thought fiercely, they didn't know him.

He knew it wasn't really his dad's fault. He was a professor after all; and these things were not good for his family image.

If his dad was angry with Virat and Hardik, it was nothing compared to how furious he was with Rahul himself.

As he was going from the airport to his house, Virat called him, just randomly as he did.

"Landed?" he asked.

"Obviously I did, because otherwise my phone would've been switched off," said Rahul grumpily.

"Are you driving?" asked Virat, hearing a horn in the background. "You know you're not supposed to receive calls while driving!"

"I'm in a cab," said Rahul, rolling his eyes. "Dad couldn't bother to send the car to the airport today." His voice had turned gloomy.

"Why not? What happened?"

"He's... he's furious with me, Virat. I don't think he's going to forgive me anytime soon."

"But it's been two months, Rahuliya!"

Rahul was too weary to even protest at the nickname.

"It's not his fault. These things hurt people in the academic line really bad," he said.

"But he should have sent the car," persisted Virat.

"Virat. I'm not walking home. I'm just sitting in cab. That's easier than driving!"

Virat couldn't very well deny it, so he said instead, "Won't you come to the hotel at all?"

"No, I guess. Can't give him more reasons to blast me."

Virat's cheerfulness plummeted.

"Ok. See you during the match, and don't worry, he'll come around. Just don't answer back or anything if he scolds you, that is not a cool idea," he said.

If he insults you, I will answer him back, thought Rahul at the back of his mind.

"I'm not stupid," he said out loud.

Virat snorted with what seemed suspiciously like laughter to Rahul.

He's ridiculous, thought Rahul, shaking his head.

______________

Virat lay on his bed and began to ponder on the issue.

Clearly Rahuliya's dad had no sense of gratitude. You get a kid like him, and remain angry with him for 2 whole months for something that wasn't even fully his fault?

Rahul was upset. Of course he was; Virat could sense that. He had always been fonder of his dad than anyone in the world, and this was affecting him.